YOU OLD GASBAG

THE gases in your body. This week: The acid rain gas. SULPHUR dioxide — a pollutant and a component of acid rain — is also produced by the body. It’s a pungent component of flatulence gas, made in the gut during digestion. But it is also produced by heart cells. It is thought to widen blood vessels and may help regulate blood pressure, according to an animal study published last year in the European Journal of Pharmacology. It’s also been shown in animal studies to play a role in lowering inflammation in lung injuries.

Meanwhile, low levels have been linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure and furred up arteries.

As well as being a potential treatment for high blood pressure, it could be used to tackle tuberculosis.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research found it blocked the growth of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis — the gas is widely used in winemaking and food preservation to kill bacteria.